Goodbye, 2010

The calendar year sure has brought a mixed bag, hasn’t it? Through 2010, the Rangers went 41-30-8 (which is actually 41-38), fell apart late last January, rallied in late-March and early April, didn’t make the playoffs, and now have had this impressive first half.

Oh, and a new coach. Well, the same coach, only with a different persona (he’s once again the guy we knew when he was an assistant and then an interim head coach for four games in 2000), and one who is doing a much, much, much better job, and the driving force behind the get-young movement and the patience that movement requires.

It’s night and day, isn’t it?

The Rangers don’t hit the halfway mark until Wednesday, when they play their only home game in a six-game stretch (against Carolina). So I won’t get into my mid-term grading just yet. But 2010 sure has been two different years.

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The NHL hasn’t promoted it much, so here’s a reminder: The Winter Classic is tomorrow. I think Sidney Crosby is playing Alex Ovechkin, from what little I’ve seen and read about it.

Me? I’ll turn it on for a while on New Year’s Day, but I will be at the very least sharing my attention with The Honeymooners marathon, and then your boys in Tampa at 7, the first of 2011 back-to-backs in the Sunshine State.

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Forgot to mention yesterday that Crosby’s point streak ended at 25 games. So I guess we can surmise that he’s almost half as good as The Great One. Almost. And we can hope that hideous caterpiller is shaved from above his northern lip in time for his game against Ovechkin.

Good afternoon all! Mickey, I’m with you sister! Goodbye and good riddance to 2010 (except the part of the Rangers doing well in the second half, you guys, and all of Carp )
Everyone be safe tonight…Happy New Year to you all!

P.S. re: last thread…sure hope we don’t have any SO’s in the next 4 to 6 weeks….get well soon EC!

You can turn the Sid verses Alex “The caveman” Ovechkin game on tomorrow, but From what I have heard it might be posponed until Sunday. Warm, rainy , conditions are not great for making ice I guess. To bad about Christinson, that injury may be real hard on him and his career. I hope he recovers quickly. The Rangers will miss him, like he plays. Sometimes.

Wicky, it’s hard to say about the “e”. I’m not sure I even like the “j”! Most people call me Margie. But I thought I would try jie, then ji,….. am I dragging this on too long? Me thinks, yes! Anyhoooo, they’re all m(e).

Thinking of my last post, I recall doing that very thing as a kid. We would be out there playing in any weather, and when the puck dropped into a hole, there would be a bunch of us around the hole poking at the puck trying to get it out of there and keep possession. Fond memories.

lol ilb thx for sparing us and thx Orr for not posting any herpes riddled appendage pix

Don’t recall where I saw it, but I thought it was interesting that Derek Stepan played only 81 games combined the last two years at Wisconsin but 117 games in the two years before that at Shattuck-Saint Mary’s HS.

From what I’ve heard, Horak has had a quiet tourney for the Czechs. Apparently the coach hasn’t put him in a scoring role even though he has been tearing it up in Chilliwack this season:
30GP 15G 23A 38PTS

And Dallas’ GM says they’re going to try to sign Richards. Don’t know if they meant during or after the season, but it’s pretty safe to bet that they wont trade him at the deadline, unless they have a major collapse in the final few months.

Anyone have a creative alternative to the OT/SO?
Skillz comp is fun to watch but not the best way to settle a game. What about each team getting a PP instead? 4 on 3 maybe for a better success rate.
Alternating like college football OT. Although it would probably lack the exciting transition game that the 4 on 4 has. But it could be exciting when the team that scored first has to kill off the power play for the win while the other team is in desperation mode.

GO RANGERSSSSSSS!! screw Canada and the stuiped shoot out. Im more of a Rangers fan then a team Canada fan…..ORR yer more a team usa fan then our Rangers huh? What would you choose , Ranger cup or USA gold?

Dude , I like yer answer but yer wrong. If the Flyers.the Flyers!!??? left for dead by thier OWN fans cuz they sucked so bad..could not clinch the playoff spot untill the shoot out.The Flyer were and are garbage…they had a cinderella run and If we won ( big if) we would have been there too. Look Orr I know you never celebrated our last win cuz ya were too young but believe dude , we can honestly do it…I swear dude we can.

I’m going to leave soon to celebrate with my family. Happy and Healthy New Year to all the boneheads and your families! We had a lot of newcomers on the blog lately, welcome. And everyone who is out there still thinking about it, start posting. Join the family, you’re all welcome.

Special thanks to people who keep this one going- Carp, Mama, LoHud It etc.